Vehicle.



No. 840,146. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

s. D. MADDIN.

VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1.0, 1905.

I WIT/VESSS:

' lw w/ 6/. km

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No.'840,146. 1 I PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

s. 1). MADDIN.

VEHICLE;

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 10, 1905.

' 2 sums-sum 2.

x--+ a i I i WITNESSES.-

r: NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTGR, a. a

SAMUEL D. MADDIN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE.

Specification f4Letters Patent.

Patented. Jan. 1, 1907.

kpplication'filedMay 10, 1905; Serial No. 259,674.

T0 66 whom zit may concern:

4 Beit known that I, SAMUEL D. IVIADDIN, a citizen. of the United .States of America, residing at Detroit, in-the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certainnew and. useful Improvements in Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being-had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This inventionrelates to certain new and useful improvements in horse-drawn vehicles and refers more particularly to that class known as delivery-wagons.

The invention has for its object to combine all theadvantages of the four-wheeled wagon with those of: thetwo-wheeled wagon orcart andat the sametime eliminateallithe disadvantages.v

Tothis enditheinventionconsists in bringing the oint of' attachment of thehorse as near bac to theaxle as possible to increase the draft a'ndto provide the wagon with front steering or caster wheels and a cushionframe.

The invention'consists, further, in certain other new and useful features, all as more fully hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which?" Figure 1 is a perspective view of awagon embodying my invention; Fig. 2, afront elevation; Fig. 3, a plan view of the runninggear; Fig. 4, avertical sectionaon the line ac, Fig." 3 Fig. 5, a plan view of a modified construction ofrunning gear; Fig. 6, a detail of one of the steering-wheels; Fig. 7, an enlarged section showing the pneumatic spring or cushion interposed between the body and the running-gearand the means for connectlng the same.

A is the running-gear. or underframe, preferably integrally formed from sheet or cast metal and comprising the transverse portion B and forwardly-extending portions C, each provided with a semicircular depression or groove D for the reception of a pneumatic tube adapted to be blown up to any degree of hardness to get the required resiliency, according to the load to be carried.

E is the fioor of the Wagon-body, preferably provided with similar depressions F for the reception of the u per portion of the tube.

G represents bo ts loosely connecting the body and frame, so that the same may be free to have a limited vertical movement in relation to each other.

H is a false bottom, and I represents springs interposed between false bottom and floor to take the jar therefrom.

J is a drop in-the floor immediately in rear of the axle-for" the driver to stand, and K is a door in rear of the body for ready ingress and egress.

L represents thewheels mounted on stubaxles M, preferably integrally formed with the frame, the body being preferably cut away on either'side, as shown, for the reception of thewheels In order to permit the horse to be attached as near back to the axle-as possible, the front of'the body is cut away at N, the body extending forward on either side of the horse. The wagon is'designed to balance as near as practicable on the hind wheels, and in order to prevent toomuch weight coming on the horse and to steer the wagon, if desired, the

caster-wheels O are provided, journaled in verticalbearings P in the-forward end of the frame, a coil-spring Qbeing interposed to remove the jar.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modified construction, the hind wheels B being j ournaled on removable bolts or stub-axles S in the bifurcated forks T of the frame. Instead of the driver guiding the horse in this construction I have arranged so that the driver can steer the wagon and the horse be made to follow by mounting the front Wheels U on steering-knuckles V, pivotally mounted in the vertical bearings W, the free armsof the steering-knuckles being connected by links X with arms X, set opposite on a transverse shaft Y, mounted in bearings on the runnin 'gear. Z is a hand-lever under control of t e operator for rocking the shaft to steer the wagon, and Z represents coil- 5 springs sleeved on the shank of the steeringknuckle to remove the jar from thebody.

It will thus be seen that with my construction of wagon the driver standing on the platform J has his goods all around him convenient for delivery and the horse is protected from the weather, as the roof is preferably carried over the horse, suitable windows being provided in the front and sides of the wa on.

f desired, the steering or caster Wheels may be placed behind the axle instead of in front, and ordinary elliptic springs may be interposed between the body and the runninggear.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim is- 1. In a horse-drawn vehicle, a two-wheeled rigid underframe extending forwardly of the axle and forming sills between which the horse is adapted to be hitched, a Wagon-body extending over the underframe forwardly and rearwardly of the axle and upon which the body is substantially balanced, the forward portion of the body being shapedin conformity with the u'nderframe'to form a protecting-inclosure for the horse and a pneumatic support for the body interposed between the underframe and body.

2. In a horse-drawn vehicle, a two-wheeled rigid underframe extending forwardly of the axle and forming sills between which the horse is adapted to be hitched, caster-wheels mountedin the forward ends of the frame, a wagon-body extending over the underframe forwardly and rearwardly of the axle, the forward portion of the body being shaped in conformity withthe underframe, .a yielding support interposed between the underframe and body and draft connection in proximity to the axle.

3. In a vehicle havin a two-wheeled rigid underframe extending forwardly of the axle and formed substantially U-shaped in plan, an inclosed wagon body extending forwardly and rearwardly of the axle over the underframe and yieldingly supported thereon on pneumatic cushions interposed between the frame and body.

4. In a horse-drawn vehicle having a twowheeled rigid underframe extending forwardly of the axle and formed substantially U-shaped in plan, caster-wheels pivotally mounted in the forward ends of the frame, an inclosed wagon-body extending forwardly and rearwardly of the axle over the underframe and upon which the body is substantially balanced, the forward portion of the body being shaped in conformity with the underframe to form a protecting-housing for the horse in direct draft connection with the axle, said body being yieldingly supported on the underframe and formed with a drop in rear of the axle and means for steering the caster-wheels.

5. A vehicle having a rigid underframe extending forwardly of the axle and constituting with its forward portion the sills between which the animal is hitched, wheels j ournaled in the forward ends of said portions and an inclosed wagon-body extending over the underframe forwardly and rearwardly of the axle upon which the body is substantially balanced, said body having its forwardly-extending portion inclosed in conformity with the underframe, draft connection in proximity to the axle and means forsteering the wheels by the driver.

6. A vehicle having a rigid underframe extending forwardly of the axle and constituting with its forward portion the sills between which the animal is hitched, wheels j ournaled in the forward ends of said portions and an inclosed wagon-body extending-over the underframe' forwardly and rearwardly of the axle upon which the body is substantially balanced, said body having its forwardly-extending portion inclosed in conformity with the underframe said body being yieldingly supported on the underframe and formed with a drop in the floor in rear of the axle and means for steerin the wheels by the driver.

7. In a'horsedrawn vehicle a rigid twowheeled underframe provided with draft connection within the forward portion of said frame between the side sills of which the horse is adapted to travel and having its forward ends supported upon caster-wheels, an inclosed wagon-body pneumatically supported upon said underframe and having integral forward portions shaped in conformity to the forward portion of the underframe to provide space for the storage of goods within the wagon-body on opposite sides of the horse.

8. In a horse-drawn vehicle, a rigid twowheeled underframe, forming with its forward portion a U-shaped frame within which the horse is adapted to be hitched for drawing the vehicle and the forward ends of which are supported upon caster-wheels, an inclosed vehicle-body extending over the forward end of the underframe and shaped in conformity therewith to form an inclosing housing over the underframe, said body being independent of the underframe and yieldin ly supported thereon in a substantially ba anced condition and lever connections for steering the caster-wheels by the driver.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL D. MADDIN.

Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, JosEP A. NOELKE. 

